Device in cigarmaking machines for removing tobacco waste when cutting wrappers or binders from a strip of tobacco



May 26, 1970 T. A. LINDSTAD 3,

DEVICE IN CIGARMAKING MACHINES FOR REMOVING TOBACCO WASTE CUTTING WRAPPERS 0R BINDERS FROM A STRIP OF TOBACCO Filed June 18 1968 United States Patent M 3,513,737 DEVICE IN CIGARMAKING MACHINES FOR RE- MOVING TOBACCO WASTE WHEN CUTTING WRAPPERS OR BINDERS FROM A STRIP OF TOBACCO Thorvaid August Lindstad, Oslo, Norway, assignor to Arenco Aktiebolag, Stockholm-Vallingby, Sweden Filed June 18, 1968, Ser. No. 737,952

Claims priority, application Sweden, June 29, 1967,

Int. Cl. A24c 1/04 U.S. Cl. 83-100 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device in cigar machines for removing tobacco waste occurring at the end portion of a strip of tobacco web material when cutting wrappers or binders from said strip, comprising a cutting die, a reciprocating strip carrier, at least one pivotable plate at the farther edge of the cutting die, which plate completely or almost completely closes an underlying stationary suction chamber and in inclined position forms a slot through which portions of the tobacco strip projecting over the cutting die are drawn by suction during the feeding motion of the strip, said plate being adapted in its inclined position to intersect the under-surface of said reciprocating strip carrier and said strip carrier being adapted in its forward turning position to be situated with its leading edge adjacent the undersurface of said plate.

The US. Pat. 3,345,894 is concerned with a device in cigarrnaking machines for removing tobacco waste occurring at the end portion of a strip of tobacco when cutting wrappers or binders from said strip, whereby the strip is advanced stepwise over a cutting bed provided with perforations and in which a cutting die having a width which corresponds to the width of the strip is arranged. At least one pivotable plate is arranged at the remote edge of the cutting die in relation to the feeding direction which plate in a swung down position lies substantially in the same plane as the cutting bed and completely, or almost completely, closes an under-lying stationary suction chamber, and in an inclined position forms together with the edge facing the cuttting die a slot through which the portions of the tobacco strip projecting over the cutting die are drawn by suction into the suction chamber, from which, after swinging the plate downwards and cutting the strip, said portions are removed through a suction pipe connected to the suction chamber.

In the embodiment described in the above-mentioned patent the pivotable plate is capable of moving between the cutting bed and the underside of a tobacco strip car rier which is reciprocatingly movable above said cutting bed. Hence, the carrier passes above the upper edge of the plate while the free end of the tobacco strip is drawn by suction down under the bottom of the plate. This construction has been found to present two disadvantages; namely that the tobacco strip is liable to catch in the plate if the strip has been shredded at the edges thereof or has been damaged in some other way, and in that the swinging movement of the plate is dependent upon the size and shape of the cutting die, which determines the shape of the plate. This latter disadvantage creates complications when changing between different types of cutting dies.

The present invention relates to a device of the above mentioned type, viz a device in cigar machines, for removing tobacco waste occurring at the end portion of a strip of tobacco web material when cutting wrappers or binders from said strip, whereby the strip is fed, by a 4 3,513,737 Patented May 26, 1970 feeding arrangement, stepwise over a cutting bed provided with perforations, in which cutting bed a cutting die having a width corresponding to the width of the strip is arranged, and at least one pivotable plate is arranged at the farther edge of the cutting die in relation to the feeding direction, which plate, in a non-inclined position, lies substantially in the same plane as the cutting bed and completely, or almost completely, closes an underlying stationary suction chamber and in inclined position forms, together with the edge facing the cutting die a slot through which the portions of the tobacco strip projecting over the cutting die during the feeding of the tobacco strip are drawn into the suction chamber from which they are removed, subsequent to cutting of said strip, through a suction pipe connected to the suction chamber, and the object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this type in which the aforementioned disadvantages are eliminated. This object is realized according to the invention in that the plate when in the inclined position is adapted to intersect the plane in which the under-surface of a carrier, intended for the tobacco strip and reciprocatingly movable over the cutting bed, is situated, and in that the strip carrier is adapted so that when in the forward turning position it is located with the leading edge of said carrier adjacent the under-surface of the plate. Both the leading edge of the strip carrier and the free end of the strip of tobacco are thus passed into the slot between the under-surface of the inclined plate and the edges of the suction chamber facing said under-surface. When the strip tobacco is then drawn by suction against the cutting bed the free end of the strip of tobacco hangs completely free in the flow of air in the suction chamber, and the strip carrier can be moved back and the plate swung down towards the edges of the suction chamber without it being possible for the tobacco strip, whilst being advanced, to catch in any portion of the cutting bed or the plate. Because the upward swinging movement of the plate is not restricted by the under-surface of the carrier the plate can be adapted to be swung through a specific angle in all types of cutting dies and plates employed, which constitutes an important simplification of the device.

The invention is illustrated by means of an example shown in the accompanying drawing, in which FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show in cross section the positions of the plate and the strip carrier during three different phases of advancement of the strip of tobacco.

The shown embodiment is fully identical with the device shown in the above mentioned patent with the exception that the swinging movement of the plate is much wider, namely about 45 as opposed to 10 in the device according to said patent.

In the drawing is shown the cutting die 1 provided with a knife, also shown are the strip carrier 2, the tobacco strip 3, the plate 4, the suction chamber 5 and the perforated plate 6 of the cutting bed. In FIG. 1 the plate 4 is shown in an upwardly inclined position and the carrier 2 has been moved forward to its foremost turning position with the leading edge situated adjacent the undersurface of the plate 4. The tobacco strip 3 is urged against the under-surface of the strip carrier 2 by means of a stream of air directed upwardly through perforations disposed in the cutting die 1 and the plate 6, possibly with the exception of the free end of the tobacco strip 3 which may be deflected downwards somewhat by the flow of air directed downwardly in the suction chamber 5. When the 'blowing of air through the perforations is then interrupted and replaced with a suction action the tobacco strip 3 falls down onto the cutting die 1 and the plate 6 and is drawn by suction tightly against these members, with the free end of the strip hanging freely in the flow of air down in the suction chamber 5, as shown in FIG. 2. The plate 4 is then swung downwardly and closes the opening of the suction chamber 5 either completely or partially, with the end portionthe tobacco Waste-of the tobacco strip- 3 situated Within the suction chamber 5 and between the outer edge of the plate 4 and the adjacent edge of the cutting die 1, as shown in FIG. 3. Subsequent to cutting the wrapper or binder in the usual manner, by means of cutting rollers, the tobacco waste is removed by suction by means of the suction chamber, either immediately after the cutting operation, if a gap is present between the plate and the suction chamber, or after the cut wrapper or binder has been fetched by a leaf carrier and the plate 4 has started to pivot to an inclined position. The latter alternative is to be preferred since it is advantageous if the tobacco waste is held clamped by the plate 4 Whilst the cut Wrapper or binder is passed to the leaf carrier, so that any veins present which have not been completely severed during the cutting operation will be torn away.

When changing the cutting die 1 to a different size it is only necessary to change the plate 6 and the plate 4, and possibly the magnitude of the advancing step of the tobacco strip must also be changed. The swinging movement of the plate 4 need not, on the other hand, be changed and the setting of its turning positions requires no exact adjustment. The shaft of the plate 4 is preferably springingly connected with the associated drive mechanism (not shown) so that the said plate 4 is not damaged if the strip carrier 2 is permitted to strike the plate.

What is claimed is:

1. A device in cigar machines for removing tobacco waste occurring at the end portion of a strip of tobacco Web material when cutting wrappers or binders from said strip, comprising a cutting bed, a cutting die in said cutting bed, above said cutting bed a reciprocating strip carrier having an under-side adapted to feed the end portion of said strip to said cutting die after each cutting, a pivotable plate adjacent the farther edge of said strip, means for pivoting said plate, a stationary suction chamber under said plate, a suction pipe connected to said chamber, said plate substantially closing said chamber when in a non-inclined position lying substantially in the same plane as said cutting bed and when in inclined position forms, with its edge facing said cutting die, a slot through which portions of the tobacco strip projecting over the cutting die during the feeding motion of the strip are drawn by suction into said suction chamber from which they are automatically removed, subsequent to the cutting of said strip, through said suction pipe, said plate being adapted in its inclined position to intersect the under-surface of said reciprocating strip carrier and said strip carrier being adapted in its forward turning position to be situated with its leading edge adjacent the undersurface of said plate.

FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1963 France. 9/1963 France.

WILLIAM S. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

